Lebanese took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against the flood of pictures of the late leader of Iran’s Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, after their tweets stormed social media against what they called “signs of Iran occupation.”
The protesters tore down and burned the posters of Soleimani and raised instead photos of the two main Lebanese martyr leaders who were assassinated on Lebanon’s soil: Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and President Bashir Gemayel.
A clash also occurred between supporters of Hezbollah and the Communist Party in the town of Adloun in southern Lebanon, during which photos of the leaders of both parties were torn down.
This comes after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Airforce Commander, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, stated that “all the missile capabilities of Gaza and Lebanon have been supported by Iran, and they are the front line to confront Israel.”
His comments fueled a wave of anger from the Lebanese people and politicians, who rejected the notion of Lebanon risking its sovereignty and independence.
The head of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, Sami Gemayel, warned that the Iranian statements put Lebanon as the front line for Iran in its permanent struggle with the whole world.
“Hezbollah’s weapons do not protect Lebanon, but rather expose it to an economic blockade and military adventures,” Gemayel said on Twitter.
However, supporters of the Iran-backed Hezbollah party in Lebanon, praised the erection of Soleimani’s statue in Beirut, which was organized by the municipality of Ghobeiry, in cooperation with the Siyaj Association.
